


Wild Wind

by KarasuNei, PinkRambo



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, centaur!au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-05
Updated: 2016-10-05
Packaged: 2018-08-19 19:11:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8221780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KarasuNei/pseuds/KarasuNei, https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkRambo/pseuds/PinkRambo
Summary: A tale of one wild horse and his hunter.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CaptainCorgi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainCorgi/gifts).



> This is our gift to a lovely friend, CaptainCorgi.  
> HAPPY BIRTHDAY DARLING!!!! WE HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY THIS!!!
> 
> Basically Nei building the bones, Rambo giving it muscles, Nei putting skin over it and Rambo making sure it function. WE CREATED A MONSTER!!! WOOHOO!! IN 28HRS!!!

* * *

 

  
  


“The bounty had been too good to pass up. He couldn’t let it slip through his fingers, not again. But he wasn’t expecting for certain events to happen…” 

 

“Oh that sounds lame!” A child’s voice rang out.

 

“Hush. It’s not lame. Though that’s not really where the story  begins ...Let me tell it right….” The chestnut colour centaur said,  humming  before he started over…

 

\----

 

The air was crisp and the morning quiet. However, the  silence soon faded as clatter of hooves through the woods , sending birds into flight and  critters running for cover. The centaur galloped  towards the clearing where he would meet up with his gang...He was late, which was not usual  of him. 

 

There was no fanfare. The staring was eerie, heavy and with an air of finality that hung uncomfortably over his head. This tribe had never been close-knitted, never a family, and a cold greeting, especially in situations like this, was to be expected.

 

“Jesse McCree. It’s time you found another tribe to run with.” The alpha said, front hooves pawing the ground. 

 

Who was he kidding?  Jesse knew what this was. It was a power play, because the alpha felt threatened by Jesse and his prowess.  Young stallions, strong and full of life, always prompted such reactions. Jesse wasn’t the first and he sure as hell would not be the last.

 

The question was, was it worth fighting for?

 

Jesse crossed his arms in defiance, glaring  at the tribe in front of him. “Where am I supposed to go  then ?”

 

“That’s not our problem.” 

 

Jesse rose up on his hind legs for a moment before he stamped down, displaying his irritation with the decision. He grunted softly before he took one last look at the alpha of the tribe that had been  somewhat of  a family for him for so many years,  the only ones of his people that he had been so close to, “Please Karth, don’t kick me out…” 

 

“I’m sorry Jesse. But you have to go.” That tone was  unyielding without a sense of remorse , and Jesse snarled.  There was simply no point to appeal and he was far too prideful to beg. He knew none of the others cared much for him anyway. 

 

Jesse cantered for all he was worth to leave.  Scraping up all the pride he had left. But once he was out of sight, Jesse started running.  It didn’t matter where, nor how long it would take him.  H e was so pissed.  It was unjust. But that was life here out in the wild. The weak must obey or get discarded. Or both.

 

But Jesse was neither weak nor was he lacking potentials. No, he had too much of the latter, and in the long run it would threaten Karth’s position. But Jesse had no desire for power and he did not want to lead. The fact the no one spoke up for him had been more disappointing than being exiled itself.

 

Truly, though, what was he expecting?

 

It was every horse for himself out here.  Did he want to fight for what he wanted? Was it worth it? He wasn’t sure...but he would have to find some other tribe...Nothing was worse than a Centaur who was alone. They were easy targets for hunters.  Sure, Jesse was no helpless mare, but even he could not fight against a whole pack of predators.

 

For now, he would have to rely on himself.  And he did, he managed for a time. Survival instincts were more reliable than some tribe...Or so he thought with contempt. 

 

Hunting was out of the question, it was far too risky. Wild berries and some simple trapping had to do for now. At least he wasn’t a picky eater, and Jesse had managed just fine for a few weeks …

 

... Until he was surrounded by lycans. 

 

Jesse admitted, he was letting his guard down, having a try in fishing for a change. The waterfall had been loud and his concentration had been far too focused on the slippery morsels in the water to care about his surrounding. He was hungry, he was tired, and he almost lost a limb to a slobbering beast. His kick had been a lucky shot, either maimed or splitted the lycan’s skull open, Jesse didn’t even know. With the water at his back and inferior flexibility compared to the smaller predators, Jesse was put into a massive disadvantage here. There was a point where hooves and spear could only do so much, and the lycans were just as hungry as he was. They had a pack and Jesse only had himself.

 

Bitterness made him fight harder, spear lashing out in a whirlwind of anger and desperation. He wounded some and they backed up just outside of his range, surrounding him, taunting him, intimidating him. These beast were as feral as they were cunning, and they prodded at him from many angles at once, keeping Jesse disorientated. 

 

It was only a waiting game now. Jesse’s hind hooves were almost knee-deep into the water already and he was wasting his strength just by keeping them at bay. Soon, he would grow exhausted. Soon he would become dinner.

 

But Jesse would be damned if he didn’t go down without a fight. 

 

Honestly, Jesse surprised himself for being able to hold out for as long as he did, in the state he was in. The sun was setting when his movements began to slow and the pack of wolves began to tighten their circle around him.

 

God fucking damn it! This wasn’t how he was supposed to die.

 

Thundering hooves suddenly filled his ears, shouts and clanging weapons burst out from behind the thicket of trees.  _ Centaurs _ rushed forth from green leaves, thick in builds and ebony coats gleaming in dying light.They startled the lycans just as much as they did Jesse, arrows and spears chasing off the howling predators.

 

Jesse wasn’t going to lie, he almost collapsed in relief. And yet his muscles remained tense, weeks of being sleep and food deprived, coupling with the recent bout of adrenaline rush kept him alert, blood thrumming in his veins as Jesse held his spear protectively before himself.

 

It wasn’t unheard of for centaurs to wound or kill those who trespassed territories. They might have saved him from the lycans, but what would they do with a lone centaur like Jesse?

 

His front hooves shifted, unintentionally nervous, when one trotted forth from the crowd, stockier and taller than all the others. This one bore many battle scars, made of steel muscles and his coat was of a pure midnight black. Eyes, light brown that were almost umber, were sharp, far too sharp as they regarded Jesse.

 

This was an alpha, there was no mistaking it. But the power and energy rolling off of him in waves was nothing Jesse had ever experienced. This was a warrior, a seasoned leader and something Karth could have never dreamt to become.

 

Even after the run-in with the lycan, this was the first time in so many years that Jesse had truly experienced intimidation.

 

The alpha centaur regarded Jesse for several mind-straining moments.For all that he was worth, Jesse kept his head held high, even though all he wanted was to roll over and sleep for a week. 

 

In the end, when Jesse thought he was going to pass out from the fatigue, the alpha’s voice rumbled out, dark and echoing like rolling thunder, that almost made Jesse jump out of his skin, “You alright, kid?” 

 

Righting himself, trying to not appear submissive, which was probably wasn’t the best decision in his life at the moment, Jesse kept his voice as steady as he could,  “I am now. Thank you.” 

 

“Good to know. Where’s your tribe?”

 

That didn’t take too long to come up.  “Don’t have one anymore. Been trying to handle it on my own.”

 

The alpha sized him up again, a scowl appeared on scarred, bearded visage,  “That’s foolish. Why are you on your own?”

 

Alright, Jesse was  _ jaded _ . He was a hair away from being torn apart by a bunch of animals, after weeks of acting like some skittish deer for being kicked out of a tribe for no apparent reason. Emotions ran  _ a little _ high, and the stress was pulling him apart, bursting at the seams. The relief upon being saved faded to the back of his skull and, suddenly, Jesse just wanted to be left alone, curled up in a corner to lick his wounds.

 

“What’s with the damn interrogation?!” Jesse snarled back, unwittingly so. In hindsight, there were so many other,  _ better _ ways that he could have reacted to the question, but giving a damn wasn’t one his distressed brain could handle right now.

 

The alpha before  him  scoffed,  a front hoof pawed at the trampled grass in agitation.  “I was going to offer you a temporary tribe, but if you want to act like a spoiled brat…” 

 

Jesse cut in, all precautions thrown to the wind,  “I don’t even know you.” 

 

Whispers began to spread at his reaction, the other centaurs at the back tensed. Perhaps it was a little late to note it, but the way they moved in sync and the obvious bond they had towards their alpha made Jesse just a bit envious. They just never did have that kind of connection in Deadlock. They were a tribe, but they were also every horse to his own.

 

With a shift of his stance, the alpha before Jesse put all the murmurs to rest. Rising to his full height (and Gaia! This centaur was absolutely towering!) his voice boomed forth, making the hair on Jesse’s nape stand on edge.

 

“ I am  Gabriel Reyes, the alpha of the Blackwatch Tribe. Now you know who I am. So answer my damn question, who are you and why are you on your own?”

 

Jesse’s eyes went wide  instantly . He had just been rescued by the infamous Gabriel Reyes...And he was acting like an ungrateful little shit!  The spear in his hands drooped, his shoulder hunching in embarrassment,Jesse ran  a shaky hand through his  unkempt, oily  hair. “Sorry  Mister  Reyes, I am Jesse McCree. I was kicked out of the Deadlock  tribe just recently.” 

 

_ Because I was more of an alpha than the alpha was. _ But he didn’t say it aloud.

 

The alpha,  Gabriel,  scrutinised at him for a few seconds, then laughed, hard and long.  The noise bristled Jesse up, but he relaxed when Gabriel spoke again,   “That will never happen here. If you want a tribe to run with, we’ll take you in. At least  for the time being,  you won’t be alone anymore.” 

 

Jesse was torn. He wanted a new tribe, but he wondered if it wouldn’t be more worthwhile to just keep running on his own. It would certainly prevent getting kicked out again. But a tribe was safer,  _ Blackwatch  _ nonetheless,  as was just demonstrated…

 

“I ain’t got all day kid.” 

 

“I’ll take it. Thank you.” Jesse replied in a knee jerk reaction before he held his hand out  for Gabriel to shake.

 

Welp, this might just be his one lucky break.

\---

 

Days turned into months, and months into a year. Jesse was happier than he  ever had been in all the time he  was with Deadlock.  Blackwatch had been hospitable, even though running with the tribe had been challenging to keep up. Once fed and rested, Jesse was more than agreeable, his natural charms and politeness quickly won the tribe over. They functioned together seamlessly, both with a pack-like hierarchy and a family-like bond. It was all that Jesse could have ever wanted from a tribe. No-one questioned Gabriel’s decision to let Jesse stay. Well, none  _ around here _ , anyway.

 

All except a  white gold stallion  that sometimes visited their tribe, Jack Morrison,  had argued with Gabriel about the new addition.  Jesse had been confused and slighted at first, but he later found out that  the blonde centaur was the alpha of the Overwatch Tribe.  Someone that Gabriel respected to an extend, and someone that was rumoured to have  _ other relations _ to the Blackwatch alpha.

 

Other than that, Jesse had nothing to complain about. Life had been kind to him and, even though he was technically on temporal status with Blackwatch, he had no doubt that they were going to officially count him as one of the members soon. Gabriel was fond of him and so was the others, even Jack was slowly warming up to his, despite Jesse hadn’t been allowed to run with the Overwatch Tribe yet.

 

It was one of those days, when the two tribes went hunting together. Jesse was off on his own, because there was more than enough to guard the camp and he wasn’t in the mood to entertain Sombra, Gabriel’s right hand, in her strange ways. He pranced across the plains,  enjoying the warmth of the sun against his chest and wind rushing by his flanks. It was something he had always enjoyed as a foal. Running took his mind off things, not that it had been burdened much of late, but it was still freeing in a sense. There was harmony in simple exercise and breathing in fresh air as he moved.

 

That wasn’t to say Jesse was completely lax. If there had been one thing Deadlock taught him, it was to be alert at all time. That or get killed.

 

Jesse felt eyes on him, but he couldn’t pinpoint from where. For a fleeting moment, he wondered if Deadlock had found him again.  But he quickly brushed the thought aside. What business would they have with him now, after they had kicked him out without much reservation?

 

However, an arrow thunked into the ground near his right hoof,  breaking off his train of thought, and  Jesse reared up, cursing his own carelessness.

 

Searching the direction the arrow had come from,  Jesse couldn’t say he was expecting what he saw . There,  hidden among the bramble and bushes was an archer,  arrow glinting in the shadow as he looked for another shot. Jesse took off, zigzagging at the man who  had  _ dared _ to take aim at him . The archer realized he was in trouble, and turn to  escape . If he made it to the woods, just off in the distance, then he could get  on to a tree, and Jesse didn’t want that.

 

With the archer running, he wasn’t liable to shoot  anymore , so Jesse stopped zigzagging, and just cantered straight at him, closing the distance quickly. Once he was  at melee , he grabbed  the back of the archer’s garb and lifted him up, taking a foot to the  upper abdomen for his troubles. It didn’t make Jesse drop him, but damn  if it didn’t hurt like hell. 

 

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing!?”

 

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” The archer snarled back.  His accent was as thick as the wolfskin he wore and his eyes burned fierce in resentment. This...hunter was small, even in human standard, and he was clad in garments Jesse had never seen before. The plates of his gleaming armour was slender-forged, infused with leather and clad the upper half of his body snuggly. Sleeves and pants were mid-length, puffed up in a strange way that Jesse supposed was to intimidate others of his kind. Calves were delicate, plated and padded to minimise the sounds they might make. Leather pouches and satchels criss-crossed the hunter’s body, carrying various tools that Jesse was unfamiliar with, along with a huge quiver that was partially hidden underneath all the fur. What little shown of his face was painted gold and bearded, all angles with cheekbones that could cut glass.

 

Pretty thing, but wasn’t pretty enough to quench Jesse’s anger.

 

“ By Hades! You don’t even know me! At least if you’re going to try and kill me, give me the courtesy of a fucking introduction!”

 

There was barely a shift in the archer’s expression,  “That makes it personal, and I’d rather not be personal with you.”

 

“I don’t give a shit what you want!  You shot at me! Why?! ” 

 

There was disgust in his narrowed eyes now,  “Jesse McCree, chestnut centaur. Bounty reward  of  50,000  gold .” 

 

To say that he was surprised was an understatement, “Whoa! Whoa. What in the name of-...??? Who in Nyx’ blasted name would put that kind of bounty on me?!” Jesse snapped at the man, both slighted and rather interested in knowing _what_ he had done to earn a bounty that high.

 

Though the response as to  _ who _ was not entirely unexpected...

 

“Deadlock.” The archer ’s glare was seething when he replied. 

 

The sneer on Jesse’s face could have killed an army,  “Of course it’s fucking Deadlock.”  He snarled, still not letting go of the archer, even when the latter tried to take a swing at his face. “I’d suggest you stop doing that. I can easily snap you like a twig. Don’t test me.”

 

That earned Jesse a snap of the bow to his jaw. Growling, the taste of blood only ired him further, Jesse yanked the weapon from the archer’s grip and tossed it as far as he could. Retaliation was immediate, as a dagger took its place, taking a swipe at Jesse’s arm. The pain startled him, letting the hunter go with a graceless thump. At the end of his patience now, Jesse held a hoof over the man’s chest as a warning. He stilled immediately.

 

Pretty  _ and _ smart.

 

“What is your name, archer?”

 

The look he received was sour,  “Shimada.”

 

“Well,  as flattering as it is to find such a nice man like yourself looking for me.” He should probably stop picking up Reyes’ brand of sarcasm, “ I didn’t do anything  wrong .  And Deadlock don’t have that kind of money. They’re doing it  out of spite .”

 

Shimada’s chuckle was curt, “I do not take words from a prey.”

 

Jesse was annoyed now, “Believe what you want then, but I could have killed you right here if I was that terrible of a criminal.” Distrust was still swirling in golden-brown eyes. Jesse sighed. Of all the stupid, stubborn son of a…”Look, I ain’t in the mood for killing, but I ain’t fancying getting killed either. If I let you go, you’ve got to stop taking a swing at me. Deal?”

 

His mind was screaming alarms at him, but Jesse life so far was built on a string of bad decisions. Taking a chance with a random human, out for his head on a faux bounty which was put up by his former tribe certainly didn’t sound too bad. If that didn’t work out, Jesse would probably find himself headless the next day.

 

Reyes would probably beat his ass for this.

 

“Deal.” Begrudgingly, Shimada spat out. The grin came easy to Jesse, though he was still a tad pissed about the whole ordeal. Lending the archer a hand to help him up (which Shimada didn’t take), Jesse waiting patiently for the hunter to adjust himself. Sharp eyes glanced at dagger and bow, both a good ten feet away at least. Shimada’s fingers twitched. Jesse could practically hear the gears turning in his head.

 

Silence was awkward and uncomfortable. Jesse not wanting to turn his back on the human, knowing an arrow might just embed itself in his spine and Shimada didn’t want ‘to risk lunging for his own weapons either. The air was tense and stale with distrust, neither party wanted to move before the other.

 

“You...are not from here, aren’t you?” Jesse ventured into the unknown first, shifting on his hooves in uncertainty. Shimada’s glare was baleful.

 

“What gives you that idea?”

 

Great. Jesse could go on for a few days without sarcasm, thank you very much. It didn’t deter him however, as little did these days, and he offered the hunter a tentative smile, “If you are in need of a bounty, I can offer you the location of a lycan pack.”

 

Why the hell not? Cheap vengeance, those beasts had been a thorn on the local tribes’ side for a while, and Jesse knew humans had no love for them either.

 

But the hunter scoffed at this, “The price on the market is low, far too easy of a hunt with a large enough band. And as you can see, I am alone. Your offer is invalid, centaur.”

 

“Difficult one, aren’t you?” Jesse huffed, both amused and annoyed at Shimada’s tone, “I don’t see your kind so deep in the woods so often. Are you staying at the hunter’s lodge?”

 

Shimada didn’t want to answer at first, his eyes narrowed into slits now. But there was no reason to lie. Jesse only asked because he was trying to make conversation. This far into the wilderness, it would be stupid to stay out in the open. And Shimada didn’t strike him as a naive or inexperienced type.

 

“...Yes.” The answer was a long time coming, grudging and hesitated, but at least it wasn’t sarcastic. Gave Jesse a sunny smile.

 

“Let me give you a lift.” 

 

Eyebrows rose under wolf fur, clearly didn’t expect that, “I was just about to kill you.” Shimada’s tone was flat. Jesse shrugged.

 

“You aren’t trying now.”

 

Shimada’s glare turned stale, “There is no reason for me to believe what you said. The bounty is posted. That kind of money is not something to be taken lightly. If their words are untrue, there will be plenty out for  _ their _ heads instead.”

 

“Well, Shimada,  _ sir _ , from what I’ve known of Karth based on personal experiences, that alpha has his head pretty far up where the sun don’t shine.” Jesse drawled, his tail flickering in agitation at the name, “Chances are they’d just off you the moment you drag my skull over there. They ain’t have that kind of money. And if they did, then they ain’t gonna be spending that on shit. Especially not on someone they kicked out.”

 

It brought a sneer onto Shimada’s thin lips, “What, were you too alpha for them?” 

 

Evidently, he didn’t expect the serious, if not sour, stare Jesse gave him. Nice to see the cocky hunter did a double take, “ You are not joking. ” 

 

“...Yeah.” 

 

The laughter was almost immediate, a little harsh and all too mocking, but a laughter nonetheless, “ Ridiculous, you beasts... ”

 

It almost amazed Jesse how easily this stranger could slight him, “Oi! We are not beasts! We don’t shoot at sentient beings without having the courtesy to exchange names first!”

 

The wolfskin tilted to the side, laughter ceased into a smirk, “I believe we don’t make introductions when we attempt to kill someone.”

 

“Cheeky.” Jesse grumbled, though a grin was breaking on his lips, “So you want me to help you go back or what?”

 

The guarded expression was back again. Somehow, it irked Jesse a little,  “I’m fine on my own .”

 

Shimada’s steps were deliberate when he went to retrieve his bow and dagger. Jesse watched his every move, shifting in a nagging uncertainty that he didn’t quite understand,so Jesse half-jested instead, “Not gonna stick an arrow at the back of my head, aren’t ya?”

 

The glance hidden behind snow-white tuffs of fur sent a shiver down his spine, “Turn around and you might find out.”

 

It stunned Jesse and he ended up staring until the strange figure disappeared behind the trees.

 

_ Well, damn _ .

 

\---

 

Even weeks later, Jesse had to admit, he was sort of looking forward to seeing Shimada once more, though that was foolish of him. Gabriel certainly did let him know, with a smack no less. Jesse deserved that. He was careless. The hunter could have followed his trail back to camp. One lone human  had no power to overcome the entire tribe, but he could have always come back with more.

 

And yet, somehow, Jesse doubted that Shimada would do it. The archer just didn’t seem the type that wasn’t negotiable nor was he some cold-blooded killer. Still, in the eyes of the tribe, Jesse made a mistake, and he knew he should keep his shit in check should he still wanted to run with them. Making Gabriel pissed at him so far along the way would not be the smartest decision right now and Jesse didn’t want to get into hot water with Jack right after earning his trust.

 

Lying low was the option to go, though Jesse secretly hoped that Shimada was doing alright, no matter the amount of sass he dished out, wherever he was.

 

Regardless, Jesse found himself trotting about the same plain often, looking for a glimpse of white fur and sharp gaze among the bramble and bushes. To his somewhat disappointment, other than a few startled deers and an uncomfortably close run-in with a jaguar, the hunter was nowhere in sight.

 

Sombra was right, he should just accept that it was one of another slightly more interesting days of his life. A highlight of sort. Still, roaming the plains became a habit, whenever time allowed him, and he stopped searching so relentlessly across the rolling green with his eyes. 

 

Sooner than late, the air started to have that refreshing bite of chill in it. Earth hardened beneath his hooves and the sky was an endless blue. It was time to mate so the foals would be born into the warmth of spring and couples could enjoy their private time in hibernation. Gabriel was often missing from tribe runs and Jesse knew it had little to do with his official induction ceremony to the tribe and more to do with Jack, all puns intended. As much as Jesse was joking about it with the rest of Blackwatch, he knew it was due time for him to find a mate of his own as well.

 

It wasn’t like Jesse had no option. He was well-liked among both Blackwatch and Overwatch, plenty males and females alike had offered to lie with him. Life-long mates, perhaps not, but everyone wanted someone to brace against winter together. It wasn’t as if Jesse hadn’t done something similar before either. Centaurs matured far earlier than humans, and he had passed many seasons with practically strangers.

 

Not this year, however. Something in him yearned for a deeper connection, for someone that matched him in spirit and strength. Jesse craved for someone different, a challenge that burned fiercer than the tribe’s bonfire, whose warmth would keep him sated in the merciless blasts of winter. 

 

Melancholy echoed from the tips of his hooves as Jesse pranced about the meadow, one last time before Blackwatch uprooted their camp and moved into the mountains in preparations for winter. Around his shoulders, a red serape fluttered, embroidered with yellow threads, to combat the chills, a gift from one of the Overwatch members, Ana. Jesse was completely surprised and touched at the gesture. No-one had ever done something like this for him and Ana had spent the time and effort to hand-knit one, just so Jesse would have something to keep him warm.

 

Needless to say, the decision to run with Gabriel’s tribe had been the best of his life.

 

The thought itself cheered Jesse up a little, and the skips were back in his youthful legs as he did a final lap before returning to camp.

 

He didn’t expect to hear a commotion and he certainly didn’t expect it to be  _ Deadlock _ .

 

The tribe was circling someone just behind the trees , Jesse couldn’t see who it was. But if Deadlock was circling it was nearly as bad as a  volt of vultures. There wasn’t time to get back for help.  Or at least he reasoned with himself.

 

Stupid of him, Jesse knew. He would be catching hell for pulling such a stunt so close to migrating time.

 

He charged through the line of forage, and immediately felt his blood run cold.  He would recognise that wolf skin anywhere. It was  _ Shimada _ that Deadlock was surrounding.

 

_ Whoopy-fucking-doo, _ Jesse and his luck...

 

The archer’s bow was taunt, his snarl feral. The clothes on him were ruffled and torn at places, unlike the impeccability he presented last time. His footing was steady, shoulders squared and eyes would kill if they could, but Jesse could detect the faint shaking of fatigue in Shimada’s arms, the tiny crimson beads that dotted the ground.

 

The hunter was struck and wounded. By whom, that wasn’t clear, but Jesse bet on his own head that Karth had a hand in this. At least Shimada was giving out some punishment. Jesse felt a searing satisfaction, seeing broken arrows sticking out some of the centaurs’ flanks. There was even one slumped far away from the circle.

 

His triumphant smirk didn’t last long. A hoof lashed out, striking Shimada on his back. It was dishonourable, even for Deadlock. The archer was completely cornered and attacked on all sides. Even if he was vicious, there wasn’t much he could do against the whole tribe.

 

The crunch of his back and the thud he made upon falling had Jesse seeing red. Karth was the one who struck Shimada, that coward. In the spur of the moment, Jesse shoved through their lines, pushing away two startled centaurs whom he once called _friends_. Their shocked expressions would have been funny if Jesse hadn’t been so pissed, and he flared his hooves at Karth, standing over Shimada’s fallen form protectively. 

 

“ How about you pick on someone your own size?”

 

Jesse’s sudden appearance had  Karth  reared backwards ,  but he laughed upon realising just who he was facing, “ Jesse, Jesse...Ran away because ya can’t man up and fight. What ya gonna do now? Flick yer tail at us? ”

 

The snorting and laughter that prompted from the tribe was nasal and cruel, but Jesse didn’t need more reasons to get angrier than he already was, “I should have known better. Cowards like you would spin lies and deceit to make yourself appear better. I left because Deadlock is the furthest definition of a tribe! I didn’t fight, because it wasn’t worth it!  _ You _ are not worth it, Karth.”

 

The mocking grin was replaced by a scowl, but Jesse wasn’t done. He had grown so much, physically and mentally, since he left, and he wasn’t afraid or having any shred of reservation left for this pitiful band of centaurs. The stallion rose to his full height and noticed with a vicious, victorious sense that he was at least half a head taller than Karth now.

 

“You kicked me out because you were afraid I’d take Deadlock away from you. You kicked me out, put a bounty on my head because I was more of an alpha than you’ll ever be. You’re just some beta pretending he’s bigger than he really is.” Jesse snarled,  spinning his spear  in a challenging manner. 

 

He knew what he said. He knew what kind of reaction that would provoke. It had been a long time coming, Jesse thought, and he didn’t exactly need any further pushing to take a stance against Karth. Shimada being compromised was just a trigger.

 

Or so he told himself.

 

By now, Jesse’s former “alpha” scowled and turned into an ugly sneer,  “Are you challenging me for dominance Jesse?” The Deadlock alpha  kicked his front legs, snarling at Jesse. 

 

This was a bad idea.  Scratch that, this was a  _ terrible _ idea.  Without Blackwatch to back him up, he was screwed no matter how this turned out.  Even if he managed to beat Karth, which he would, they would gang up on him afterwards or even during the fight. Perhaps it was the bitterness speaking, but he could never be too careful.

 

He  couldn’t safely get himself and  Shimada out of this mess without fighting Karth for dominance. “Sure why the fuck not. To the death Karth.” 

 

Jesse made a show to lean down and helped  Shimada up.  While making sure that the man wasn’t too injured, Jesse whispered out of the corner of his mouth, “If shit goes south, run.”

 

Surprise and then disgust flashed on the hunter’s face, “I will not run with tail between my legs!”

 

Well damn. He wasn’t going to let this particular man go  _ anywhere _ if they both managed to get out alive.

 

The circling of the tribe had stopped, and it was quiet, except for the occasional flick of horsetail and what was going on in the center of the  ring .  True to his words, Shimada stayed, slinking into the shadow of the trees, but no centaur paid attention to him now. With his back thrown, the hunter could not pull his bow properly.

 

Jesse and Karth  dropped their weapons, as per ancient laws only allowed hand-to hand combat, and circled each other, both looking for an  opening, an opportunity to fight . 

 

Karth wasn’t going to attack first, this Jesse knew, having watched the alpha fight too many times to count. He would wait, for as long as it might take, for his opponent to grow impatient. Again, cowardice, but Karth didn’t get to lead because of his brute strength. The alpha was cunning, sinister and he would hesitate at nothing to get what he wanted.

 

Well then, bad news for him, because Jesse wasn’t fancy dying today and he wasn’t going to hesitate either. The younger centaur’s  forelegs rose up and he brought his fist down  onto Karth , starting the fight in earnest. It was quick, hard, lethal, all fists, teeth and hooves. The Deadlock tribe’s cheering for their alpha  was wild, stomping the grass into mush and shaking the very foundation of the forest.

 

Jesse  was bruised and bloodied, but so  was Karth. And Karth was way worse off than Jesse was.  Savage triumph bubbled forth in his chest, having thrown Karth off balance with an unexpected block, the younger centaur reared up, striking down again, and knocking Karth to his side.  Stumbling, and he could see the panic rising in the alpha’s eyes, Jesse, in his bloodlust haze, brought down his hooves, intending to crush Karth’s skull. But the alpha rolled away at the last second, scrambling towards where the weapons were. 

 

Of fucking course, none of Deadlock tried to stop him.

 

It was Jesse’s turn to scramble. Unfortunately, Karth was closer, and his hand closed onto the spear when Jesse was mere inches away from striking distance. With an enraged, wrathful cry, the alpha whipped around, spear up and ready to skewer Jesse through. With his momentum, he wasn’t going to able to dodge this. Realising his mistake, his hooves dug into the ground, trying to skid into a stop. 

 

Everything seemed to slow down.

 

The look on Karth’s face was feral and mad. Eyes so wide they almost popped out of their sockets. Fangs baring, lips pulling back into a snarl, he thrust the spear forward, aiming for Jesse’s chest. And Jesse was still slipping forward, unable to stop himself.

 

An arrow whistled over, embedding itself between Karth’s eyes.

 

He fell like a sack of shit, spear clattered to the ground. Jesse’s momentum crashed his hooves into the alpha’s chest, trampling Karth’s chest into a bloodied mess. Everything went into a complete stand-still.

 

Jesse was breathing hard, hands balled into fists as he stared down at the former Alpha. The rest of the tribe looked surprised, especially when they found themselves surrounded by not only the Blackwatch Tribe, but the Overwatch Tribe as well. 

 

An ear splitting whistle  startled everyone out of their skin . All eyes turned to look at the black stallion,  pissed enough to spit out lightning, “Jesse, what the fuck happened?”

 

“He was harming a human that  did nothing to him.” Jesse said as he pointed at Shimada , another arrow already nocked, eyeing all the newcomers in alarm, “And I couldn’t just let him do that!” 

 

“Isn’t that the hunter you ran into?”

 

“Yes sir.” 

 

Gabriel turned with a frustrated growl and looked at Morrison who was pawing the ground in his irritation. “ Well.. At least  we’ve got Deadlock where we want them. It’s time for a tribunal, Reyes, and we’ll have to watch them all like hawks.” The blonde stallion tossed his head back, arms crossed. He wasn’t happy. This was an unethical way to get this done, and he couldn’t say he was unimpressed. 

 

The chestnut centaur turned to the human, dwarfed in comparison by all the large bodies around him, and knelt down in front of him, basically sitting despite the pain in his haunches. “Are you okay?”

 

“Besides  various broken and bruised ribs ?  Yes.” The hunter quipped, sarcasm still going strong despite all the injuries. But then he let concern dripped into his voice, and it warmed Jesse heart, to see sharp brown eyes softened, looking at him,  “Are  _ you _ okay?” 

 

“I’ve had worse. We’ll get that arm fixed right up, and then, if you’ll let me, I want to show you around without a bounty on my head.” Jesse  grinned at the other man,  his spirit coming back at full-force despite all the bruises and scratches. 

 

Shimada looked a little bit nervous, but smiled back , tentative, but a smile nonetheless , “I’d like that.  I’d like that a lot.”

 

“Glad to hear that,  Shimada .”  A hand slipped into his, tattooed in the same golden ink as the markings on the hunter’s face.

 

“Hanzo. My name is Hanzo.”

 

There was a pause, and then laughter bubbled forward from his chest. Jesse leaned forward, meeting Hanzo’s forehead in a moment of peace. For a moment, Jesse was sure their lips brushed, but he couldn’t say for definite. But it didn’t matter, because they were both still alive, scraped up and battered, but alive. And hopefully, with each other as well.

  
  



End file.
